COVID Pandemic Collaboration
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Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Grand Forks, ND Resource Center Permit No. 11 for Independent Living 318 3rd St NW CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED East Grand Forks, MN 56721 Options: Interstate Resource Center for Independent Living Special Edition COVID Newsletter In This Issue... Vaccine / Symptoms / Mental Health …. Page 2 What to Do If You Are Sick ….. Page 3 COVID Testing Sites in Northwestern Minnesota … Page 4 Underlying Conditions, PPE, Hiring Others … Page 5 Healthcare and the Americans with Disabilities Act … Page 6 COVID-19 and Personal Attendant Services …. Page 7 Mission Statement, Contact Info, Board …. Page 8 COVID Pandemic Collaboration Options in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of swab various locations within your nasal passages, saliva Health is working together to better inform people with tests or around the corner, home-testing kits. Some types disabilities on important matters related to the present of tests are provided inside your clinics or hospitals, while pandemic. Due to this relationship you may see some others are drive-up or drive-thru. Testing locations may advertising running across the airwaves referring to also be provided through large community testing sites Options as your regional COVID Community Coordinator. within a community center facility such as a National Guard building. These may change and rotate with Just as we have been there to assist you prior to the information provided through the Minnesota Department pandemic we are here now to help you find the resources of Health or Public Service Announcement. to fulfill your needs surrounding the pandemic. This does not mean we are authorities but it does mean we, in Most of the medical service providers found within our collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health, region have set up a process for their patients to be can certainly help you get the information you need tested so it is important for you to call and ask the through our combined networks and resources as you representative what their processes are related to your navigate through the pandemic. individual circumstance. When you call to discuss your situation, please include information about your disability Throughout this newsletter you will find timely information so they can evaluate the proper testing method compared about a verity of topics our editors have felt are important to accommodations you may need to recommend the for your safety. best test. Ask questions related to the accommodations you need and how they will accommodate you. If you The types of tests for COVID, testing locations, and need help brainstorming types of accommodations you procedures taken for testing is changing as new and need based on your disability or don’t know where to better procedures are identified. You can have tests that start, please call Options. 3 months of their first bout of COVID- According to the Centers for Disease Stay Home if You 19 may need to be tested again if Control and Prevention some Might Have Been there is no other cause identified for vaccines which were subsidized their symptoms. during their development should be Exposed to offered to the public without a What counts as close contact? charge. As things transpire though COVID-19 some medications may not fit this You were within 6 feet of someone From the National Center for scenario so you should always be an who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 Immunization and Respiratory Diseases informed user of your medical minutes or more. (NCIRD), Division of Viral Diseases services and ask your provider if there will be a cost. If there will be a You provided care at home to Quarantine or isolation: What's someone who is sick with charge you should insure your the difference? COVID-19 medical insurer will take care of it. You had direct physical contact Quarantine keeps someone who with the person (hugged or kissed The first vaccine approved at the might have been exposed to the them) time of this printing needs to be kept virus away from others. very cold and not all medical facilities You shared eating or drinking have the freezers in order to Isolation keeps someone who is utensils. They sneezed, coughed, maintain the low temperature infected with the virus away from or somehow got respiratory droplets on you. needed. Because of this many others, even in their home. people in rural areas may have to wait for some of the other Who needs to quarantine? Vaccines medications to be approved before People who have been in close they can be inoculated especially if contact with someone who has As the vaccination roll-out is you are unable to leave your COVID-19—excluding people who currently underway in Minnesota, it is home. Because processes will be have had COVID-19 within the past important for you to pay attention on developed and modified as things 3 months. where you fit in. If you do not have change you will need to be vigilant frequent contact with your medical paying particular attention to the People who have tested positive for provider and have an underlying Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 do not need to quarantine condition or a disability which is Public Service announcements and or get tested again for up to 3 negatively impacted by COVID-19 Governor’s updates. If you have months as long as they do not pay particular attention to directives questions you can call here or call develop symptoms again. People so you can insure if you are on a your County’s Health Department who develop symptoms again within priority listing you know about it. Representative. This includes telemedicine resources (which replace clinic Mental Health Resources visits) and other well-being supports to help families and During the COVID Pandemic individuals cope. COVID Cares Stress Phone Support Service. Any The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a tremendous amount Minnesotan experiencing stress can call 833-HERE4MN of stress, fear and anxiety for many people. It’s important (833-437-3466) for free telephone support from 9am to Minnesotans have access to the mental health care 9pm every day. resources they need to stay well during this challenging time. For more mental health resources, visit https://mn.gov/ covid19/for-minnesotans/get-help/mental-health.jsp or call State agencies are working together to ensure these the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of services are available, and they are also connecting Minnesota at 1-888-626-4435. people with private organizations that can provide support. 2 Mask Safety What to Do If You If a lab test shows you do not have Caring for Someone Who Is Sick COVID-19 but you have symptoms, Are Sick stay home until your symptoms are If someone in your household better and you do not have a fever. gets sick, do your best to keep From the Minnesota them away from others in the Symptoms of COVID-19 can be house. Have one person take Department of Health Website similar to other illnesses. It is care of the person who is sick. important to follow your health care Stay 6 feet away from the person Stay home if you are sick. provider’s advice before going back who is sick as much as you can. to work, school, or other settings. If you are older or have certain The person who is sick should underlying medical conditions, it is People with symptoms or people wear a cloth face covering when helpful to let your health care who were in close contact with anyone else is in the room, except provider know you are sick. They someone who has COVID-19 when sleeping. The caregiver, and may have specific advice for you. should consult their health everyone else in the house, may provider to learn what steps to want to wear cloth face coverings Seek medical care right away if take next, whether it’s testing, when they are in the same room your symptoms get worse or you quarantine or isolation. with the person who is sick. Cloth have difficulty breathing. Before face coverings should not be going to the doctor's office or Going to the Doctor placed on young children under emergency room, call ahead and age 2, anyone who has trouble tell them your symptoms. They will Call ahead before going in to see breathing, or is not able to remove tell you what to do. a health care provider. the covering without help. How long to Stay Home if Sick If you are older or have underlying The person who is sick should not medical conditions, it may be make food or eat with others in If you have COVID-19, stay home helpful to let your health care the house. until all three of these things are true: provider know you are sick. They may have some specific advice If a sleeping room must be You feel better. Your cough, for you. shared, open doors or windows shortness of breath, or other sometimes to get fresh air inside. symptoms are better. Some people with COVID-19 Sleep at least 6 feet apart, hang and have worsened during the second curtains or put cardboard walls It has been 10 days since you first week of illness. around the person who is sick, felt sick and sleep head to toe. and Seek medical care right away if You have had no fever for at least your illness is worsening (for If a bathroom must be shared, 24 hours, without using medicine example, if you have difficulty clean doorknobs, faucets, and that lowers fevers.